‍Crystal Palace have become the first Premier League club to offer loan players to lower league clubs for free - but only if they play.

Mark Bright, the club’s director of U23 development has written to all clubs in Sky Bet League One, League Two and the National League, amid growing concerns over the fees that the country’s top clubs are demanding for loan players, according to The Times.

A club source has told Sky Sports News that the policy was the best way to guarantee as many of their young talents as possible bridged that gap between U23s and senior football - by enjoying first team football at another club.

Bright’s letter explains how Palace are not looking for lower league clubs to pay a proportion of a player’s wages - but if he does not start a match for whatever reason, barring injury, then Palace will expect the loanee club to pay 50 per cent of his wages each week.